Analysts expect the fast-growing quantum technology sector to create hundreds of thousands of jobs at all levels over the next decade. But to meet that demand, the US must build a robust, geographically diverse talent pipeline equipped with the specific skills employers need — an effort that will require targeted resources and large-scale coordination, according to quantum educators and workforce development experts from nearly two dozen states.
A report released today by the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) and two National Science Foundation’s Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes (QLCI) — Quantum Systems through Entangled Science and Engineering (NSF Q-SEnSE) and the Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation (RQS) — highlighted several broad recommendations, including:
- Investments in two-year colleges and other non-R1 institutions, including support focused on equipment access, industry-aligned skills development, and clear guidance on how particular credentials will lead to jobs;
- A centralized, national repository of quantum education and workforce development resources that includes curricula, program models, partnerships, and implementation guidance;
- Incentives for cross-regional quantum workforce initiatives that promote knowledge sharing, coordination, and collaboration.
The report, "Strategies for Tomorrow's Quantum Workforce," grew from the Quantum Education and Policy Summit, hosted in October by NSF Q-SEnSE, RQS, and CQE with funding from the NSF and the Quantum Economic Development Consortium. Participants, who represented a wide range of educational institutions, companies, and other organizations, shared insights on key challenges in surveys before and after the event and during sessions.
“US leadership in quantum technologies relies on our ability to scale a well-prepared workforce at all levels, from the technicians who build and maintain specialized equipment to the engineers who design new innovations,” said Kate Timmerman, the CEO of the CQE. “But to do that, we must work together to develop common curricular standards, coordinate across regions, and align our programming with the needs of industry. The Quantum Education and Policy Summit and this report represent important steps in harnessing the strengths of educators, industry leaders, and workforce development experts — all of whom are vital to meeting this future moment.”
A CQE study showed that fewer than half of quantum jobs require PhDs, highlighting the role that undergraduate institutions will increasingly play in building the future quantum workforce. A large number of attendees at the October conference were from undergraduate-focused institutions, including community colleges. Those networks will be key to strengthening the national quantum workforce strategy.
“As a field, quantum technology is relatively young. We have the opportunity to build the field the way we want it to look, right from the start,” said organizer Michael Bennett, director for education and workforce development at NSF Q-SEnSE. “But we can only do that by reducing the siloing, coordinating across the entire field, and working collaboratively. That was the ethos behind the education and policy summit.”
The Quantum Education and Policy Summit brought together nearly 50 educators and professionals from 20 states, including 23 attendees from community colleges and teaching-focused institutions. In addition to intensive breakout discussions organized around regions, institution types, and specific workforce initiatives, QEPS included a panel on community and technical college efforts, a keynote presentation by Jobs for the Future, and resource presentations by quantum education field leaders Heather Lewandowski (University of Colorado Boulder) and Emily Edwards (Duke University).
The QEPS report is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under award numbers 2016244 and 2534943. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
